1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to the field of electronic imaging and LIDAR (Laser, Imaging, Detecting and Ranging) systems. More specifically, the invention relates to a LIDAR device and method having a fine resolution mode and a course resolution mode for clear air and degraded environmental viewing conditions.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, existing time of flight LIDAR imaging systems include a laser imaging source, appropriate optics in conjunction with a two-dimensional detector array such as a focal plane array or “FPA”, processing circuitry suitable for processing the detector array output into a usable form and post-processing circuitry and software capable of taking the processed detector array output and converting it into a usable format such as a three-dimensional voxel image on an electronic display.
In the operation of a typical prior art time of flight LIDAR system, a set of laser pulses are directed toward and illuminate a desired target or scene of interest. The laser reflections or “echoes” from the entire field of view from the scene are received and imaged upon substantially all of the detectors in a two-dimensional set of detector array pixels using appropriate optics.
Because the time of flight of the returning laser echoes will vary proportionally to the distance from the detector array image plane and the target surface features from which the echoes are received, a three-dimensional image can be calculated based upon the relative echo delays.
The laser target transmission and return energy in a LIDAR system is greatly affected by the medium in which the imaging beam travels and dust or smoke in the atmosphere in which the target of interest is located will affect the quality of the image of a LIDAR system.
What is needed is a LIDAR device and method that can accommodate both a clear atmosphere and be adaptable to environments in which smoke, dust or other particulates (i.e., a degraded environment) exist in the atmosphere around the target